Hopper and the like



H. S.GARDNER. HOPPER AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, I9]?- 1 359 1 6 1 Pamnted NOV. 16, 1920.

2 SHEETS SHEET I- H. S. GARDNER.

HOPPER AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. 1911.

1,359,161; Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

0O OO mm mm 4 UNITED STATES PATENT ,orrlca.

HOWARD S. GARDNER,'OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

' I-IOPJEELR,v AND THE LIKE.

I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NOV. 16, 1920.

Application filed-lune 7, 1917. Serial No. 173,285. I I

My invention relates to hoppers and the like and more particularly to that typev thereofcommonly known as receiving hoppers and has for its object to improve and simplify the construction thereof. My invention further contemplates an improved operating mechanism for the gate or door whereby the latter may be moved to an open position, with a minimum of effort and whereby any resistance to this movement in terposed by the load is readily and efliciently overcome. A further purpose of my invention is to provide an improved exit construction in which the possibility of the material becomingset or bound in said exit is reduced to a minimum. My invention will be fully described hereinafter and the features ofnovelty will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate an example of my invention Figure 1 is a front view of my improved hopper; Fig. 2 is a central vertical section thereof; Fig. 3 is a detail front view, the gate or door being omitted; Fig. 41 is a detail side view; Fig. 5 is a plan view; Fig. 6 isa detail side view on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 7 is a detail sectlon on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

As shown in the drawings, the hopper comprises the usual receptacle 10 constructed of any suitable material'and having any desirable shape and dimensions. The recepta'cle 10 is provided with downwardly inclined and converging walls 11 and with an inclined exit chute 12 which forms a continuation of said walls. The discharge end of the chute 12 is controlled and normally closed by means of a gate or door 13 car'- ried by side members 14 which extend along the opposite outer walls of chute 12. Each side member. 14 is formed with an opening 15 for the accommodationof an eccentric 16 and is further provided with a block 17 secured in position by means of rivets or other fastening means 18. The blocks 17 serve to increase the strength and rigidity of the i "structure and'are each provided with an.

onenin 19 also for-the accommodation of A, t 7 p the eccentric 16, the openings 19 each being.

in registry with an opening 15. The eccentrics 16 are rotatably and 'eccentrically mounted upon studs 20 projecting outwardly from blocks 21, the latter being fastened to the outer side walls of the chute 12 in any suitable manner by means of rivets 22. In their outer faces the eccentrics 16 are preferably provided with diametrically ext-ending recesses into which levers 23 are fitted and secured to the eccentrics by means of fastening devices 24. These levers 23 pro-- ect radially beyond the eccentrics and extend beyond the door or gate 13 and near their free ends are connected by means of a cross-bar 25, a similar cross-bar 26 extending between said levers 28 in proximity to the door or gate 13. The cross-bars 25 and 26are so dimensioned and arranged with re-' spect to each other and to said levers 23 that the inner ends of the latter exert an inward force toward each other whereby the eccentrics 16 are maintained against any appreciable axial displacement relatively to the studs 20. In other words the cross-bar 26 is slightly shorterthan the bar 25 so that the levers 23 are drawn inwardly toward ance weights 32 are connected with the free' ends of said connections 30 so as to be suspended-thereby and serve to counterbalance theweight ofthe door or gate 13 when the latter is opened to discharge material from the hopper. In order to lock the eccentrics b 16 or their'equivalents againstunintentional operation any suitable means'may be provided: for instance as shown in thedrawlugs, I'may provide adog or catch 33 pivotally mounted on thecross bar 26 and adapted in its normal position to extend beneath the gate or door 13 and thus secure the levers 23 against movement, relatively to said gate or- .door. In this way the eccentrics 16 are locked against unintentional operation from any cause as for instance the pressure of the loadagainst the dooror gate 13. The dog 7 or catch 33 may be maintained in and re- 7 turned to its normal position by gravity or in any suitable and equivalent manner and is preferably provided with a handle 34 whereby the catch may be moved to a position in which the lever 23 and consequently the eccentrics 16 are released when an intentional opening of the door or gate is desired.

Hoppers of the kind'to which my improvement relates are often used as temporary receptacles for concrete and other coalescent material which has a tendency to set and to become clogged particularly in the exit chute and thus prevent or atleast retard the discharge of the contents of the hopper. In order to' reduce this tendency to a minimum and in some cases to prevent it, Iprovidethechute12 with interior walls or wings 35 which follow the downward inclination of sa d chute and which converge toward the free end thereof. WVith this q of the chute. C

arrangement, as shown in Fig. 3, the dis.-

charge' opening is reduced andthe walls or I wings of the chute converge toward the same, so thatthere is nothing which will cause binding of the material or clogging As before stated coalescent material after being introducedinto the hopper has a tendency to set, even if permitted to :remain at rest only a short tune; as th s s et ting takes place 1ts effects are. communlcated to the door'or gate 13 which as a result is ofttimes firmly held in a closed 'position and even under the most favorable conditions can be opened only with extreme d'iiiiculty. These objections are overcome in the cross-bar 25 which brings about a rotation ofthe eccentrics l6 upon'the studs 20. As this occurs the eccentrics 16.eXert a force or push upon the blocks 17 and side members 14; tending to move the gate or door 13in a linear direction away from the end of the chute 12. Inthis way the door 0r1gatel3 isreleased from the contents and freed from any resistance exerted thereby and by manual force exerted in'an upward direction assisted the weights 32 is easily swung in the arc of a circle to an open position. The "arrangement of the eccentrics 16. and levers 23 is such that atremendous leverage is exerted. upon the side members lt and blocks 17 with only a comparatively slight effort on the part of the. operator;

Thus. any resistance to the opening of the door when may. be I offered the contents of the hopper is quickly and easily overcome and thedoor or gate is first moved away: from the mouth of the chuteafter which it is easily moved to an open position. After the door or gate 13 has reached its open position the levers 23, upon being relieved from the manual force exerted in opening the door or gate, are permitted to drop back to their initial position relatively to the door, the dog 33 snapping beneath the lower edge thereof. As the levers 23 move in the return direction the gate or door 13 is drawn back through the medium of'the eccentricslti and-is thus in position to move directly in front ofthe chute 12 to close the same in the intended manner. With this arrangement, when the door has been returned to its closed position, the cocentrics 16 are a ain locked until again released as hereinbefore described.

' The gate is returned to its closed position in any suitable manner and is moved back into engagement with the end of the chute tion shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of my invention. I claim: r

1. A hopper or the like having a discharge opening, a pivotally movable gate controlling saiddischarge opening, eccentrics rotatably mounted on said hopper and constituting the pivots oniwhich said gate swings andmeans for actuating said eccentrics to linearly move said gate away from said discharge. opening prior to movement to an open position. 7

.2. hopper or the like having a discharge opening-a pivotally 'niovable gate controlling saidrdischarge opening, eccen-' trics rotatably mounted on said hopper and constituting the pivots on-whlch said gate swlngs, levers. connected with sand eccentrics its pivotal wherebythe latter are actuatedtolinearly move sa d gate faway from said discharge opening prior to its pivotal movement to an open position and a cross-bar connecting saidlevers whereby the-latter are operated.

3.A hopper on the like having a .dis;

charge chute, eccentrics rotatably' mounted on'opposite side walls of said chute, side 1 members pivotally mounted on said eccentries, a gate carried by said si'demembers' V and controlling-the open end of saidichute j and levers connected with said eccentrics to in a ly a tua ed m r a d g e a ay 7 rotate same whereby said side members are from the end of said chute before it begins a pivotal opening movement.

4. A hopper or the like having a discharge chute, eccentrics rotatably mounted on opposite side walls of; said chute, side members pivotally mounted on said eccentrics, a gate carried by said side members and controlling the open end of said chute, connected levers secured to said eccentrics to rotate same whereby said side members are linearly actuated to move said gate away from the end of said chute and counterbalance weights whereby said gate is pivotally moved to an open position after it has been moved away from said end of the chute.

5. A hopper or the like having a discharge chute, eccentrics rotatably mounted on opposite side walls of said chute, side members pivotally mounted on said eccentries, a gate carried by said side members and controlling the open end of said chute, connected levers secured to said'eccentrics to rotate same whereby said side members are linearly actuated to move said gate awa from the end of said chute and a pivoted dog whereby said gate is locked in its normal i osition.

6. he combination of a hopper (or the like) having converging walls, a downwardly inclined exit chute forming a contin uation of said converging walls, upright wings located within said chute and distinct I from the walls thereof, said wings converging toward the discharge end of such chute and terminating thereat and means for controlling said discharge opening.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HOWARD S. GARDNER. 

